Spend funds more wisely

In these past few weeks, I have been quite impressed with The
Daily Targum, as it has slowly prevented itself from falling into
complete obscurity. For once, it has been nice to see our student
newspaper being critical of the declining conditions here at the
University. I am referring, of course, to its recent interest in
highlighting the state of University facilities, specifically the
poor excuse of modern architecture that is Scott Hall on the
College Avenue campus. While this use of muckraking has not been as
entertaining as The Medium's feature on the Red Bandana Kid, I am
still inclined to give the Targum a laurel for its efforts. This
coverage has instilled in me a sense of doubtfulness about our
future, as the latest $18.5-million budget cut has not given me any
indication that Scott Hall will receive hot water in its bathrooms.
My intent, however, is not to complain about Gov. Chris Christie
and Trenton, but, instead, I want to be a bit more constructive and
direct my attention toward the University itself.

The administration has not informed us about its future course
of action. As I see it, the University will probably go about this
in the most counterintuitive way. The majority of financial burdens
and budget shortfalls are usually covered at the expense of the
students. There is a higher concentration of them, so the impact on
each individual is less than that of a professor or administrator,
and student opposition to raised tuition is usually confined to a
week's worth of Tent State. So, the obvious course of action would
be to accept more students and raise fees. This path, however, will
produce a number of harms that will ultimately make the University
more vulnerable, thus putting it at more of a disadvantage.

First, accepting more students comes at the expense of creating
a logistical burden on daily operations. Accommodating these extra
students creates problems that go beyond the obvious argument of
cost. For instance, there has been recent talk about whether or not
the University should raise student fees, in order to implement
additional buses to the system. While I think the system is very
effective despite the financial constraints — kudos to Director of
Transportation Services Jack Molenaar — the University's proposal
validates the fact that overcrowding and long wait times are a
problem. If we continuously add more students than we can
accommodate, this creates a campus that is overpopulated with
buses. Places like College Avenue can only hold so many vehicles at
once. Consequently, buses will be prevented from moving on to the
next destination, due to the lack of space at each terminal. Unless
we decrease enrollment, the issue will never be solved, because the
system will eventually reach its cap for active buses. Not to
mention, you also increase the risk of accidents and liability on a
daily basis. This is a clear indication that the University simply
cannot hold any more people, and at this point we are already at
full capacity in terms of student body.

Secondly, raising tuition slowly but surely eliminates the
reason why many students decide to stay in state. New Jersey spends
the most on K-12 education and produces a smarter core of students
than the rest of the nation. People come to the University with the
idea of getting the best "bang for your buck." We still have a
reputation of being a serious research institution with strong
academic credibility. However, with the damage overpopulation has
on education and the rising cost of tuition, prospective students
are finding the University less attractive. Other colleges then
seize upon this opportunity to steal the more appealing students
living in New Jersey. They provide better financial incentives,
sound infrastructure and smaller classrooms. In effect, we end up
with a campus overcrowded with students that do not live up to the
state's potential — resulting in severe academic consequences that
force the University to decrease its reputation and
credibility.

I completely understand that the state is making it very
difficult for the University to operate. On the other hand, I
believe the administration should look toward seriously cutting
other areas before placing the burden on the students. Raising
tuition and enrollment should be done as a last resort, so the
impact remains at an absolute minimum. The University can do a
number of things that would ultimately achieve this goal. It could
cut salaries of administrators, coaches and state workers. It could
shy away from any more athletic investments — specifically ventures
like the "RAC Renaissance." This could also be coupled with a
substantial cut in the athletic department itself. Most of all,
they should look toward eliminating continued waste and
bureaucracy. We can do without certain appointments — such as
lobbyist Jeannine Larue — and just be more efficient in the way we
conduct business. Only then will it be possible to convince Trenton
that we are making great strides in education. I just hope these
budget cuts, which are certainly reasonable, do not translate into
the already prevalent term, "RU Screw."

Brian Canares is a Rutgers College senior majoring in history
and political science. His column, "Pure Rubbish," runs on
alternate Tuesdays. He welcomes feedback at
bcanares@eden.rutgers.edu.